Sheet feeding mechanism for accounting machines



y 1942- o. s. SUNDSTRAND 2,282,411 7 SHEET FEEDING MECHANISM FOR ACCOUNTING MACHINES Filed Jun s, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR B OSCARJ. SUNDSTRAND ATTORN EY May 12, 1942. o.,:s. suNns mmn I 2,282,411

SHEET FEEDING MECHANISM FOR ACCOUNTING MACHINES Filed June a, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR OSCAR J. SUNDSTRAND ATTORNEY May 12, 1942. o; s'. SUNDSTRAND' 2,282,411

SHEET FEEDING MECHAITIISM FOR ACCOUNTING MACHINES Filedfiune s, 1940 5 Sheets- Sheet s l N\ ENTOR oscAR-J. .suuosmmn ATTORNEY May 12, 1942. o. s. SUND STRAND SIIEEET. FEEDING MECHANIsM FOR ACCOUNTINGMACHINES Filed June 3, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 .allllllll ..l|l| w:

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INVENII'OR OSCARJ SUNLSTRAND BY/c ATTORNEY May 12', 1942. o. $.SUNDSTRAND SHEET FEEDING; MECHANISM FOR ACCOUNTING MACHINES filed June 3, 1940' 5 Sheets-Sheet. 5

INVENTOR OSCARJ. SUNDSTRAND ATTORNEY -bodying the invention,

Patented May 12,

"res PATEENT orrios SHEET FEEDING MECHANISM. FOR- AGQGUNTIN G MACHINES Oscar J. signor Sundstrand, West Hartford, Conn asto Underwood Elliott Fisher Qompany,

New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application June 3, 1940, Serial No. 338,509

8 (Claims.

This invention relates to accounting machines, and more particularly to sheet feeding apparatus for the paper carriages thereof.

In performing public .utility company billing operations on accounting machines, it is desirable to have the bills fed successively, one by one, to the platen for the printing of the data for each customer.

, It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a paper feeding apparatus that is operable to automatically feed a sheet from a supply magazine to the platen, and after it is printed to feed it from the platen to 'a receiving magazine.

With this and incidental objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts, the essential elements of which are set forth. in appended claims, and a preferred embodiment of which is hereinafter described with reference to the drawings which accompany and form part of the specification.

1n the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a carriage em- Figure 2 is a right side elevation oi mechanism that feeds a sheet from a supply magazine to belts that feed the sheets around the platen, the parts being shown in normal position.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2' but with the mechanism shown in position to pick up a sheet,

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 but showing a sheet picked up and ready for placement between the feed belts,

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 but showing the mechanism placing the sheet between the feed belts,

Figures 2a, 3a, 4a and 5a supplement Figures 2, 3, i and 5 respectively, each being a diagrammatic plan view of certain cams and rollers that control the actuation of the feed mechanism and each showing the position of the rollers with respect to the cams for the particular operation that is shown in the corresponding figure above, Figure 61s a diagrammatic top plan view of the carriage, illustrating the arrangement of appurtenant parts of the feed mechanism,

Figure '7 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 'I---! of Figure 6,

Figure 8 is a perspective view of a suction pump that produces vacuum to pick up the sheets,

Figure 9 is a fragmental front elevation of the supply magazine,

Figure 10 is a detail front view of one of the vacuum cups which forms part of the feed mechanism,

Figure 11 is a detail right side elevation thereof, partly in section,

Figures 12, 13 and 14 are detail sectional views of the various feed belt pulleys,

Figure 15 is a detail left side'view of a worm gear'and a detent device which form part of the feed belt drive, and

Figure 16 is a detail sectional view taken on the line it-it of Figure 15.

The invention is illustrated in connection with the type of carriage used on the machine disclosed in U. S. Patent No. 2,194,270, issued to applicant on- March 19, 1940.

Carriage in general Referring to Figure 1, the carriage is mounted for. movement along a track 5 ,uponrollers 2 (Figure 5) that lie between grooves 3 in the track and oppositely disposed grooves d in a frame 5. The carriage is arranged to be moved from right to left on what is known as its working stroke, under'the drive of a suitable spring motor. During the working stroke the carriage is stopped in its several columns by suitable tabulating mechanism so that type bars 5 (Figure l) on the accounting machine may print on the work sheets fed around the platen. When the carriage has reached the end of its working stroke, i. e., the position shown in Figure 1, a clutch (not shown) automatically becomes effective to return it to its initial position under power supplied by the accounting machine motor (not shown). The tabulating, clutch and driving mechanisms may be similar to those disclosed in the above-mentioned patent.

'(Figure 1) secured on opposite ends of frame 5 (Figure 5). An auxiliary side wall ll (Figure 1) is mounted adjacent wall I by suitable spacing collars and screws such as l2. Auxiliary wall ll supports parts of the automatic feed mechanism, including a work sheet supply magazine now to be described.

Supply magazine The supply magazine is indicated generally at 13- (Figures 1, 2 and 9). It comprises a base N having upstanding sides such as I5. The-magazine is supported upon a pair of tie rods l6 and i1 extending between walls 8 and I I and passing through sides l5. Collars .I8 fixed on the rods adjacent sides 15 hold the magazine in place.

A lip 21 formed along the right edge of base It provides a stop for the loweredge of the foremost sheet of a stack placed within the magazine. A follower, comprised of spaced plates 22 and 23 mounted for sliding movement a plate 24, is'arranged to bear against the rearmost sheet of the stack and providea constant pressure upon the sheets, to thereby insure proper sheet feeding operations.

The intermediate plate 24 is supported in the magazine upon a pair of rods 25 having their moving plate 22 toward the right. This movement slides the stack bodily toward the right, and positions the foremost sheet against lip 2! for removal by feed mechanism now to be described.

Mechanism for feeding a sheet to the feed belts The mechanism for removing a sheet from the supply magazine and placing it between belts that feed the sheets around the platen includes a pair of-vacuum cups 2i (Figures 1 and 2). Cups 3| are fastened on the ends of tubes 32 supported in slots 32 (Figure 11) provided in fianges.33 formed on a pair of slides 36 and 35. Slides 34 and 35 are mounted on side walls 8 and I I, respectively, upon studs 36. The opposite ends of tubes 32 are fixed on brackets 63 pivoted on arms BI which, in turn, are pivoted on studs 42 carried by slides 32 and 35.

A spring 6 3 encircles each stud 42, and has one of its ends hooked over its corresponding slide and its opposite end hooked over its corresponding arm 2i. Springs it normally tension arms 6! clockwise around pivots 32, studs 45 secured in the arms and extending into slots 39 in the slides limiting the extent of clockwise movement. When arms it are so held, depending beveled projections 42 (Figure 11) formed on tubes 32 adjacent cups 3'! lie in slots 32*, holding cups 31 elevated in the slots. Spring pulled detents 31 pivoted on walls 8 and ii engage notches 38 in the slides, to hold the slides in their normal raised position shown in Figures 1 and 2.

The mechanism for controlling actuation of slides 34 and 35 and arms 59 include a pair of levers 41 and 48 pivoted on studs iii in walls 8 and II respectively. Levers 61 and 63 are connected for parallel uniform movement by tie rods 52. Each lever has an arm 53 carrying a stud 54 resting in arecess 55 in its corresponding slide 34 and 35. Each lever hasalso an upstanding arm 56 to which is pivoted one end of a link suction pump 65 (Figures 1, 2, 6 and 8) secured by a bracket 66 to wall 8. The pump comprises a piston cylinder'within which is fitted a plunger 69 (Figure 8) carrying in the usual manner any suitable piston ring for a seal with the inner surface of the cylinder. Flexible tubing I0 connects tubes 32 with the chamber of the cylinder. The outer end of plunger 69 is loosely pivoted at 61 to an arm of a bell crank lever 68 loosely pivoted upon a shouldered stud ll fixed on frame 5 (Figure 5). The opposite arm of lever 68 carries a roller 12 arranged to engage a cam plate 13 mounted on b se plate 62 to the left of plates 63 and 64 (Fl re 6). A spring 14 connected between lever 68 and frame 5 normally tensions the lever counter-clockwise about stud H and holds plunger 66 against the rear wall of the cylinder. A coil spring I5, encircling stud H between a cap on the stud and lever 68, holds 51. The opposite ends of links 57 are connected by pin and slot connections 58 to arms db A depending arm on lever El carries a roller BI arranged to engage a cam device. This device comprises a base plate 62 (Figure 6) fixed on track I. To this base plate are fastened two plates 63 and S4 defining a cam track 50 between them. At the beginning of a carriage return stroke, roller 88 lies in the left end of the track as shown in Figures 1, 2a and 6.

Any suitable device may be provided to create vacuum within cups 3| for removing a sheet from the supply magazine. Herein is shown a the lever down against the shoulder of the stud.

When the carriage moves toward the right on its return stroke, rollers I2 and 6! simultaneous ly roll along the inclined edge of plate l3 and along track respectively, from the position shown in Figure 2a to the position shown in Figure 3a. During this movement, plate 13 cams roller 12 and lever 68 clockwise (Figures land 8) against the tension of spring 74, pulling plunger 69 from the cylinder chamber to start suction in cups 3!. At the same time, track 60 cams roller 6! and levers 41-48 counter-clockwise, pulling links 51 toward the left. Links 51, in turn, .pull arms il, tubes 32 and cups 3i toward magazine l3 against the tension of springs :24, removing projections 46 from slot 32, and thereby bringing the faces of cups 3! flush against the front sheet of the stack, as shown in Figure 3. The suction in cups 3! creates sufficient vacuum to hold the sheet firmly to the cups.

Continued return movement of the carriage camming action on plunger 69 to maintain the 1 vacuum, whereas track Blicams roller 6! and levers 67-28 clockwise, back to normal position (Figure 4). coincidental rightward movement of links 57 permits arms ii, tubes 32 and cups 3! to restore under the tension of springs dd. During the restoring movement, slots 32 cam tubes 32 upwardly as projections 16 re-enter the slots, thereby raising cups 3! and lifting the sheet up and away from lip 2| as shown in Figure 4. In this position, the upper edge of the sheet lies beneath ears it formed on flanges 33.

As the carriage progresses on its return stroke,

rollers I2 and SI move from the positions shown in Figure 4a to the positions shown in Figure 5a. During this movement, plate 13 continues to cam the roller 12, maintaining the vacuum. Track 60, however, cams levers ST- 38 further clock- Wise from the position shown in Figure 4 to the position shown in Figure 5. This further clockwise movement of levers 41-48, by virtue of studs 54 engaging the lower ends of recesses 55, thrusts slides 3 and 35 downwardly, placing the lower Feed belt mechanism Two pairs of the endless feed belts 18-81 are provided, each pair being located adjacent the opposite ends of the carriage (Figure 1). and

traveling over similar sprockets and pulleys mounted on walls I, 8 and II and over the front of the platen. Driving belts 8| have perforations registering with pins 84 in sprockets 85 and 86 over which these belts travel. Lower sprockets 86 are mounted below the platen (Figure 1) on walls I and 8, as shown in detail in Figure 13. Upper sprockets 85 are fixed on a transverse shaft 81, as-shown in detail in Figure 12. Shaft 81 extends through auxiliary side wall II (Figure 1) and is journaled at its opposite ends in side walls I and 8. Driven belts I8 lie over belts 8| and pass over and pulleys 82 (Figure 1) fixed on a transversely extending-shaft 83, as shown in detail in Figure 14. The opposite ends of shaft 83 are journaled in bearings provided in walls 8 and II. Belts are sufiiciently taut against belts 8| to cause rotation therewith. The means for rotating the belts comprises a gear 84, rotatably mounted between flanges 95 upon the lower end of a drive shaft 96 passing through the flanges. Flanges 85 are formed on a bracket 81 secured on-side wall I. The hub of gear 84 has an annular groove fitting within a slot provided in the upper flange 95. The upper face of the hub has beveled teeth 88 engaging correspondingly beveled teeth 98 on a collar I8| having a slot I82 embracing a pin I83 fixed in shaft 86. A spring I84, encircling shaft 86 between collar I8I and a pin I85 fixed in the shaft, normally holds teeth 88 and 98 in clutching engagement. The upper end of shaft 86 is journaled in a suitable bearing mounted in a flange I86 formed on bracket 91, and carries a worm I8! meshing with a worm gear I88 secured on the left end of shaft 81. At substantially the same moment that a sheet is placed between belts I8-and 8| and released from cups 3| as above described, gear 84 meshes with the teeth of a rack I88 fixed on trackv I (Figures 1 and 6). Hence, as the carriage continues, its rightward movement along track I to the end of its return stroke, gear 84 rotates clockwise, and through the clutch and worm gear con nections; rotates shaft 81 and sprockets 85 counter-clockwise, driving belts I8 and 8| in counterclockwise direction around the platen. The remaniing return movement of the carriage is sufficient to advance the sheet just deposited,

downwardly between the belts to a position behind the platen, and to simultaneously advance a sheet previously occupying this-position around, under and upwardly into printing position in front of the platen. At the same time, a previously printed sheet moves upwardly between the belts away from the platen, toward a receiving magazine ||2 secured between walls 8 and II on studs H3.

When the carriage moves toward the left on its next working stroke, gear 94 rotates counterclockwise along rack I88. -No movement is imparted to the feed belts, however, because a under rollers 88 and 89, thence upwardly, to the rear, around idler spring-pulled detent 4 (Figures 1 and 15), pivoted on side wall I and engaging a notch in a disk II5 fixed'on shaft 8'I, holds shafts 81 and 96 against reverse rotation, spring I84 being weaker than the spring on the detent and permitting beveled teeth 98 to declutch from and ride over teeth 98.

During the working stroke, roller 6| reenters track 68, and actuates its appurtenant parts in identically the reverse manner of their movements during the return stroke. As roller 6| moves leftwarclly from the position shown in Figure 5a to the position shown in Figure 3a, levers 41-48 are cammed counter-clockwise from the position shown .in Figure 5 to the'position shown in Figure 3 and, by virtue of studs 54 engaging the upper ends of recesses 55, thrust'slides 34 and 35 upwardly into normal position ready for the next sheet feeding operation. At approximately the same moment that roller 6| re-enterstrack 68, roller I2 rides upwardly over 9. depending beveled portion 6 formed on the right end of plate I3 (Figures 6 and 7), and continues to ride along the top surface of the plate during the; re-

. mainder of the working stroke, the loose'pivotal mounting of lever 68 on stud II and its loose pivotal connection with plunger 69 permitting this rising'movement against the pressure of spring I5. Hence, no vacuum is created in cups 3| during the working stroke, and consequently the reverse movement of parts associated with roller 6| has no effect aside from the restoration of slides 34 and 35 above described.

When the carriage reaches the end of its working stroke, roller I2 drops to operative position in front of the inclined edge .of plate I3, under the pressure of spring I5, and roller 6| rests in the left end of track 68, as shown in Figure 1, ready for the next feeding operation on the succeeding return stroke. 7

While the form of mechanism herein shown and described is admirably adapted to fulfill the objects primarily stated, it is to be understood that it is not intended to confine the invention to the one form of embodiment herein disclosed, for it is'susceptible of embodiment in various forms all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is:

1. In a machine of the class described, a traveling carriage movable through working and return strokes, a platen, a supply magazine for holding a stack of work sheets, means controlled by the carriage and operating during each return stroke of the carriage, for removing a work sheet from the magazine and means also controlled by the carriage and operating during each return stroke .or moving the removed work sheets toward and around the platen.

2. In a machine of the class described, a traveling carriage movable through working and return strokes, a platen, a supply magazine for holding a stack of work sheets, means controlled by the carriage and operating during each return stroke of the carriage, for removing a work magazine and a conveyor means also operated by the carriage for moving the removed work sheets toward the platen.

4. In an accounting machine, a transversely movable paper carriage, a supply magazine on,

the carriage for holding a stack of work sheets, a suction cup for removing the work sheets from the stack, and means operated by the carriage during its travel for providing the necessary suction.

5. In a machine of the class described, a traveling carriage movable through working and return strokes, a platen, asupply magazine for holding a stack of work sheets,-conveying means, means controlled by the carriage and operable during a portion of the return stroke to transfer a sheet from the stack to the conveying means, and means also controlled by the carriage and operable during another portion of the return stroke to operate the conveying means to advance a removed sheet toward the platen.

6. In a machine of the class described, having printing mechanism and a traveling carriage provided with a platen, the traveling carriage being movable in opposite directions, a supply magazine for holding a stack of worksheets, sheet feeding mechanism to carry the sheets toward and away from the platen, means controlled by the carriage and acting during a portion of the carriage travel in one direction to transfer a sheet from the stack to the sheet feeding mechanism, and means controlled by the carriage and acting'during another portion of the carriage travel in the same direction to operate the sheet feeding mechanism to move the aaeasi 1 transferred sheet toward the platen, and to move a previously transferred sheet past the platen.

'7. In a machine of the class described, having printing mechanism and a traveling carriage supporting a platen and movable through working and return strokes, a magazine for supporting a stack of work sheets, a pair of feed belts, having a point of entry therebetween, for carrying the work sheets to the platen, suction means including a cup movable to and from the stack, and thence toward the point of entry, an actuator supported on the carriage and connected with the cup, and means on a stationary part of the machine for operating said actuated to cooperate with the suction means in moving a sheet from the stack to the point of entry, during the return stroke.

8. In a machine ofthe class described, having printing mechanism and a traveling carriage supporting a platen and movable through working and return strokes, a supply magazine for supporting a stack of work sheets, a receiving magazine for supporting the work sheets, a pair of feed belts having a point ofxentry therebetween and defining an endless path past the printing point of the platen between the supply and receiving magazines, suction means including a cup movable to and from the stack, and thence to- 5 ward the point of entry, an actuator supported on the carriage and connected with the cup, means on a stationary part of the machine for operating said actuator to cooperate with the suction means in removing a sheet from the stack to the point of entry, during a portion of the return stroke, and means operable during another portion of the return stroke to move the belts an extent suilicient to advance the removed sheet toward the platen.

v oscAR J. SUNDS'IRAND. 

